celebrate good times, come on.

If I had a candle for each year, my cake would appear more like a blowtorch than a sparkling collection of flames. But no matter. It is still my birthday. Or, a better way to say, it is still a mom-birthday.

You know.

A birthday that started at 5:35 a.m. with the wake up of the youngest child, followed by working on her math homework, her news journal, and baking the cookies she’ll take to school on Monday for her own celebration. Which took us to 7:15 am. Then there is the class her brother has later on, followed by his rehearsal. And an unexpected problem cropped up at work for my husband, so he will soon be heading out to deal with that crisis. And the errands that need to be run in, around, and after this. And it’s easy to look at the day that way. It’s easy for the child still in us to wonder why the day isn’t ours alone. To revel, to reflect, to celebrate, to relax. To be just us, instead of being all of the roles we play. And it’s easy to be disappointed.

But we don’t have to. We have a choice.

We can look for the Pixie Dust moments. Like the moment this morning when my daughter jumped into my arms and told me she had looked and looked for the very best Mom in the whole world, and decided to be born into our family so she could be with me. Or the moment a few hours later when my son peeked through the railings of the stairs and, before saying another word, broke into song, singing me birthday wishes. Or the moment when my husband gave me paddle board lessons as my gift. He’d been listening all along.

In a full life there are all kinds of moments. And we absolutely have a choice as to which ones we collect and which ones we let go. Which ones we focus on, which ones we retell- both to ourselves and others. Choosing Pixie Dust moments isn’t about pretending the rest doesn’t happen, it’s about deciding which ones matter.

So happy birthday to me. Waking up early means I get even more hours to gather all the small joys that add up to a life well lived and well celebrated. More hours to see and know how much I love, and how much I am loved in returned.

And happy birthday to you, too. Whether you celebrate tomorrow, next week or next fall, take all the small moments to gather your joy. And if you’d like a little help along the way? Glance to your right. See the sign? Add your name and I’ll send you {5 ways to add Pixie Dust to Your Parenting}.

So here’s to us. Every day. Every day parents who work hard and love deeply. Parents who, underneath the shell of obligations and responsibilities of adulthood are still tender-hearted kids. Here’s to the magic of Pixie Dust.